Appeal planned over Wall Heath quarry refusal

The company behind controversial quarry plans in Wall Heath today announced they would appeal a council decision to refuse the development.

Bosses at FG Davis have warned of "considerable" job losses among their 30-strong workforce after the plans to create a new quarry in Mile Flat were rejected by councillors.The firm is now launching an appeal to the Government Planning Inspectorate in Bristol against Staffordshire County Council's decision over the quarry.

Bosses will be allowed to extend the working life of their other site nearby but say this is "not enough".

Protesters had hailed a victory when the quarry plans were thrown out after they submitted a 3,000-signature petition and 5,500 letters of objection against the plans, voicing fears of extra traffic and mud on the roads.

But bosses at the firm fear they could be forced to lay off workers if they cannot open a new quarry at the south Staffordshire village, near Kingswinford.

Spokesman Spencer Davies said: "We will definitely make an appeal against the decision.

"This firm is nearly 100-years-old and we cannot sit here and let people lose their jobs who have worked here for more than 30 years.

"There will be considerable job losses if we cannot go ahead with the new quarry."

All 14 councillors on the planning committee unanimously voted to refuse planning permission for the new quarry at a meeting earlier this month.

The company was also given permission to extend the timescale to complete landfilling at its existing quarry in Enville Road, Wall Heath – currently due to end on October 31, 2013 – until April 30, 2015.

Dave Tyler, leader of the Quarries Fighting Fund, said campaigners would continue to fight.

He added: "The evidence that we produced against the plans was unanimously accepted by the planning committee and I think it is clear that they are not going to get a quarry in that location."

By Adam Burling